Article former

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for centering and bending articles such as resistors, diodes, capacitors and the like to uniform and precise shapes in a rapid manner is provided.

United States Patent Cole [451 Dec. 5, 1972 ARTICLE FORMER [72] Inventor: Theodore H. Cole, P. O. Box 1993, Homes Beach, Fla.

[22] Filed: Oct. 13, 1969 211 Appl. No.: 865,769

[52 u.s.c| ..72/477,72/419 [51 int. Cl ..B21d 31/00, B2ld 43/00 [58] Field of Search....72/476, 477, 010.4; 140/105,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,l42,484 7/1964 Press ..72/476 3,559,433 2/1971 Brown et al. ..72/36 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Using Magnetic Suspension to Float Small Parts by Beroset et al. in Automation lyiay l 968 pp. 76- 81 (in Vol. 15 Jan. to June, 1968) TJ212A9) Primary ExaminerCharles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-R. M. Rogers Attorney-Thomas C. Stover, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus for centering and bending articles such as resistors, diodes, capacitors and the like to uniform and precise shapes in a rapid manner is provided.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDBEB 5 I972 INVENTOR. 7. 1 7. C [5 BY ATTORNEY ARTICLE FORMER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for shaping articles particularly bending articles in a uniform manner.

THE PRIOR ART Production Of Assemblies It is often desireable in production of articles to form them in a uniform shape. Where the articles are components to be fitted together in assembly it is often important that the articles be bent to close uniform tolerance. For example, in electric circuit assembly it is frequently necessary that components thereof such as resistors, diodes, capacitors and the like be precisely bent to fit readily into such assembly. Devices heretofore used have not given reliable, uniform results. For example, resistor leads have in the past been centered by eye on a block dye or block of wood and then bent by hand to shape. Results from this method have not produced a precise or uniform product.

In sum there hasheretofore been no device to assur precise bending of articles including the above components and there is a need and a market for a bending aparatus that obviates the above shortcomings.

Accordingly, there has now been devised an article former which enables the centering and uniform bending of a succession of articles in a rapid efficient manner. An article former is provided wherein precise and reproducable bending of articles is accomplished at high production-line speeds.

SUMMARY Broadly, the present invention provides an apparatus for bending articles comprising an elongated bar having rigid surfaces contoured to permit bending an article thereabout to a desired shape, at least one of said surfaces having a longitudinal tapering groove therein of sufficient depth to receive any projections of said article.

In one embodiment the article former of the invention is employed in combination with a component orienter which employs two-or more spaced magnets to suspend and align small metal articles. A tangle or bird nest of articles is dropped between the magnet faces. The articles suspend, align and usually separate. The separated articles are readily transferred to the article former. For a further description see Using Magnetic Suspension To Float Small Parts by John E. Beroset et al in Automation, May 1968, pp 76 to 81, which is herein incorporated by reference.

DESCRIPTION The invention will become more apparent from the following detailed specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an article former embodying the present invention and FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a magnetic component orienter which can be employed in combination with the article former of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, article former 10 has longitudinally tapering groove 16 in the top face 18 thereof as shown in FIG. 1. The groove 16 has side walls 14 and bottom wall 12. As shown in FIG. 1 the long groove 16 is actually an end to end series of succeedingly smaller tapering groove sections such as groove section 20. The article former 10 tapers longitudinally along its face 18 in the same direction'as the groove 16, moreover the article former 10 tapers in steps 22, the steps being coextensive with the groove sections as shown in FIG. 1.

, Resistor 24 having winding 28 and leads 26 is centered on groove 16 and bent around surfaces 18 and 22 of the article former 10, forming resistor component 25 as shown in FIG. 1. The winding 28 of resistor 24 is inserted into groove 16and moved toward the narrower end thereof until the ends of such winding contact the walls 14 of the groove which serves to center and position the resistor 24 for uniform and precise bending of the leads 26 thereof. A succession of resistors can thus be readily centered and bent to a uniform size.

The present invention is particularly suited for use in combination with a magnetic component orienter. A scramble or tangle of resistors (not shown) or other articles are placed on a chute 36 having side walls 38; the resistors 40 slide down between two magnets 32 become suspended, aligned and separated above nonmagnetic spacer 34 as shown in FIG. 2. The resistors 40 are thus ready for bending on article former 10 shown in FIG. 1.

From the above, it can be seen that the apparatus combination of the present invention provides for automatic centering of the article and rapid efficient uniform article formation. The articles, such as resistors, diodes, capacitors and the like are spaced in the magnetic component orientor, then centered and bent on the article former of the invention to the desired size. As previously discussed the articles can be bent to uniform size. However, the articles can be bent at different points, i.e. bent to different sizes where desired by bending the article at a different groove section.

Although the former embodying the present invention is particularly suited for shaping resistors, diodes, capacitors and the like, as previously discussed, any bendable article desired can be formed on said former.

The former embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is preferred. However, the former of the invention can include other embodiments provided it has a tapering grove, e.g. it can have one tapering groove section only, have several separate tapering groove sections, have two or more opposed tapering groove sections, can have tapering groove sections with straight or nonlinear sides, can have tapering grooves in series, parallel, askew or a combination thereof. The groove or grooves can be contained in a solid or apertured bar or such groove or grooves can be defined by spaced members including bars, plates or wires and the like and the,

article centered and bent around such members.

The exterior former shape preferably tapers in with the groove or groove sections such as shown in FIG. 1. However, the former can take various other exterior shapes including parallel sides, angular, rounded or a combination thereof and can taper in the reverse direction fromthe groove taper if desired.

The article former of the invention can be made of any desired rigid material such as metal, wood, plastic and the like. A thermoplastic material such as high impact polyolefins or polystyrene and the like is preferred.

The magnetic orienter, contains at least two spaced magnets; preferably the orienter contains a plurality of magnetic plates separated by a distance slightly greater than the length of the articles; the magnets having a field strength sufficient to suspend the articles deposited therebetween.

' The articles suitable for suspension between the above magnets are light enough for ready suspension and contain magnetic material in substantial quantity. Examples of such articles are ferrous wires, resistors, diodes, capacitors and other magnetic materials.

Further details of the magncticorienter and articles suitable for suspension thereby are discussed at length in the aforementioned publication.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for bending articles comprising an elongated bar having rigid surfaces contoured to permit bending an article thereabout to a desired shape, at least one of said surfaces having a longitudinal tapering groove therein of sufficient depth to receive any projections of said article.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said surfaces has a plurality of tapering groove sections positioned in end to end series.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bar has an v 4 angular profile.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bar itself tapers longitudinally.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with a magnetic component orienter for suspending and aligning articles containing magnetic material comprising a pair of magnets spaced apart a distance greater than the length of said articles, said magnets having sufficient field strength to suspend and align said articles therebetween.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bar is generally rectangular and has a tapering longitudinal groove along one face thereof, said face tapering longitudinally in the same direction as said groove.

' 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said groove is a succession of tapering groove sections linked end to end, one end of each groove section being narrower than one end of an adjacent groove section.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the face of said bar housing said groove sections tapers stepwise in the direction said groove tapers, each step being coextensive with each groove section.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said groove sections are of progressively smaller sizes. 

1. An apparatus for bending articles comprising an elongated bar having rigid surfaces contoured to permit bending an article thereabout to a desired shape, at least one of said surfaces havIng a longitudinal tapering groove therein of sufficient depth to receive any projections of said article.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said surfaces has a plurality of tapering groove sections positioned in end to end series.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bar has an angular profile.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bar itself tapers longitudinally.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with a magnetic component orienter for suspending and aligning articles containing magnetic material comprising a pair of magnets spaced apart a distance greater than the length of said articles, said magnets having sufficient field strength to suspend and align said articles therebetween.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said bar is generally rectangular and has a tapering longitudinal groove along one face thereof, said face tapering longitudinally in the same direction as said groove.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said groove is a succession of tapering groove sections linked end to end, one end of each groove section being narrower than one end of an adjacent groove section.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the face of said bar housing said groove sections tapers stepwise in the direction said groove tapers, each step being coextensive with each groove section.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said groove sections are of progressively smaller sizes. 